Absent Friend
by Dominus Umbra
Summary: Based on Smash and Grab II. May contain spoilers. Millie/Rachel
1. Chapter 1

**AN: So this is just a little ficlet I thought up while watching Smash and Grab II. It's not my usual pairing, but I enjoyed writing it and I might continue with them, if Di and Nikki ever let me go.**

_**Beware the spoilers! (For Aussies, until Saturday.)**_

**Characters aren't mine, yadda yadda.  
**

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"Any news on our absent friend?" Rachel tried to keep her voice professional, an inspector asking about a subordinate.

"I tried Millie's mobile, but it went straight through to voicemail, so I called her place. Her flatmate said she hasn't been home all night."

That was unusual. On the handful of occasions she'd gone home with the inspector, Millie had always insisted on returning to her flat. Rachel glanced away from the blond constable to hide the unease that flashed through her, tightening the knot in her stomach that had been growing ever since Millie had failed to show up for the briefing. The knot was comprised of a number of emotions, concern being the primary one. There was also irritation, insecurity, and a tiny bit of fear.

"Now, it's pretty out of character, Ma'am; but we're thinking Millie might have got lucky."

The inspector felt a tiny flare of jealousy enter the mix at the PC's words. At least that made it easier for her to act like an irritated inspector rather than a concerned lover. "Or unlucky, as the case may be. She's still got to explain to me why she's late. Very late."

Sally hesitated briefly. "I might just try her again, Ma'am." She reached for her phone.

Rachel couldn't resist. "I'll do it." She took Sally's phone with a murmured work of thanks and dialled Millie's number. As it rang, Rachel paced the room slowly, partly to let out some of her nervous energy, partly so she could avoid looking at the PCs, for she was sure her eyes would reveal the depth of her concern should they look too closely.

Finally, someone answered. The inspector felt another stab of jealousy when a male voice came through the speaker. _"Hello?"_

Mindful of where she was, Rachel reverted to annoyed boss mode. "Yes, I'm trying to contact PC Millie Brown, you wouldn't happen to know where she is, would you?"

"_No…" _

Exasperation joined the other emotions coursing through her. "Well when you see her, can you tell her this is her boss, please, Inspector Weston."

There was a pause, then, _"This is Millie's phone?"_ That made her stop pacing, a sense of foreboding washing over her. _"Inspector Weston, this is Eddie."_

"Eddie? Where are you?" The knot in her stomach turned to ice and dropped to her feet as her brain supplied the answer. "Jade Hopkins' house."

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	2. Chapter 2

**AN: So this was originally a one-shot, but repeated poking from the voices in my head prompted me to add another chapter. This'll probably be my last update for a while, because my trial exams start next week, so I should probably start studying. =P  
**

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The next few hours were among the most stressful Rachel had ever endured. When Roger mentioned that Millie had suspected that Jade was in danger and Max had ignored her, it took most of Rachel's self-control to refrain from joining the PC in his criticism of the arrogant DS. She certainly wasn't going to stop him, something Neil was plainly annoyed at.

Later, when they found Millie's bloodstained jacket, Rachel felt she might be physically sick. She followed Neil into the briefing room on autopilot, struggling to keep her emotions in check.

"It was Millie's jacket that had the blood on it."

Observations like that weren't helping. From the look he gave Will, DS Cater was thinking the same thing.

"Doesn't mean she was the one that was hurt; could've been any one of them."

Ironically, that thought was both the main source of fear and the one thing stopping her from falling apart. The uncertainty as to whom the blood in the house belonged to.

"Uniform are checking out local hospitals." Rachel wasn't entirely sure what she wanted the outcome of that search to be. Did she want them to find Millie, bleeding in some operating theatre somewhere, or did she prefer the continued uncertainty and the hope that the PC was unharmed that came with it?

She found out, moments later, when Roger entered and announced that they'd found Jade Hopkins at St Hugh's. The mix of relief at knowing it wasn't Millie who had been shot and the renewed fear for her safety answered that particular question.

"Well, I'll go and see if we can track the van's route away from the hospital by ANPR." It was more an excuse to get out of the room. Once in the IBO suite, she told Sally to track the van from St Hugh's, then requested the CCTV footage from outside the A&E.

She felt the knot in her stomach loosen a fraction as she watched her PC, obviously unhurt, support Jade towards the bench. It tightened again, though, as one of the Jones brothers pushed her back into the van and slammed the door. The inspector rewound the footage and played it again, wishing that the grainy image of her lover could look at her and tell her it was going to be alright.

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Now, as she watched the red dots on the screen draw closer together, dozens of scenarios ran through her mind. Rachel was dimly aware of Neil's presences beside her, but paid him very little attention, her gaze fixed on the monitor in front of her.

"They've turned into Slate Road…That's a dead end; we should be able to contain them."

Rachel barely registered his words, tightening her grip on the radio as the little red dots stopped moving. "Let's just hope they don't panic."

Listening to events unfold on the PR was probably the most torturous experience of the inspector's life. Every muscle in her body was painfully tensed as she listened to the armed officers order the suspect to drop his weapon and the suspect yell at them to stay away. He sounded terrified. And terrified people did stupid things, like shoot young police constables. Rachel tightened her grip on the radio, her knuckles glowing white.

There was a moment of silence, and Rachel felt her stomach tighten painfully. Then there was the clatter of a gun hitting the ground, and Will's voice reciting the caution. The inspector let out the breath she'd been holding and closed her eyes, but didn't relax until she heard Roger saying what she needed to hear.

"_It's okay, Millie. You're okay now."_

Only then did Rachel feel the relief course through her, loosening her tense muscles and making her sit heavily on the edge of a desk. "Thank god."

"Yeah. Well done Millie." The DI walked off to inform the team, leaving the inspector to her thoughts.

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Rachel didn't meet the returning officers in the yard, knowing that her reaction to Millie's arrival would probably raise a few eyebrows. Instead, she returned to her office, after telling the first uniform she found to go and find Millie and let her know the inspector wanted a word.

Five minutes later, there was a soft knock on the door and Millie entered, closing it behind her. Rachel crossed the room swiftly and, disregarding where they were, kissed the constable gently. She felt the last remnants of the fear melt away as Millie reciprocated, wrapping her arms around the inspector and relaxing into the embrace.

"Are you okay?" Rachel questioned once she drew back, brushing a strand of hair off the PC's face.

"Yeah, I'm fine." The inspector didn't fully believe her, feeling the woman in her arms tremble slightly, but she let it go.

"God, Millie, if you ever do that to me again I'm confining you to the station for life."

The constable offered her a weak smile. "Sorry."

Rachel embraced her again, mostly to reassure herself that Millie really was there and unhurt. "C'mon. I'll take you home."

"Could….Could I stay with you tonight?" she questioned hesitantly. "I really don't want to be by myself."

"Of course you can." Rachel replied, brushing a hand down her cheek and kissing her again.

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